Heterogeneity in Neighborhood Social Integration: Understanding the Role of Private Support

ABSTRACT Social connections between neighbors are critical to the livelihoods of low-income families, but the strength of ties may depend on whether residents receive assistance to live in their home and neighborhood. Prior research has documented that housing voucher recipients and those living within public housing can experience relatively weaker social integration within their neighborhoods, while homeowners tend to exhibit the strongest neighborhood attachment levels. However, we know less about those receiving private housing support by coresiding with friends and family. Using data from the Year 5 Follow-Up of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 3,912), this study examines the association between housing status and multiple indicators of neighborhood social integration. Results from logistic and linear regression models demonstrate that coresiders do not differ in terms of how well they know their neighbors, relative to homeowners, but perceive significantly lower levels of neighborhood social cohesion and engage less frequently with community organizations. Coresiders are distinctive from owners, renters, and public support recipients in terms of neighborhood attachment, yet data on this group is often obscured in surveys focused on household heads. Distinguishing between public and private support lends insight into the mechanisms that influence social integration, with living with family or friends potentially offering social entrée into a neighborhood.